The passion for the Mexican national team was palpable even before the opening whistle. Hours before the match between Mexico and Ecuador in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, a group of Mexican fans gathered near the Ecuadorian national team’s team hotel with a very clear goal: to make noise in an attempt to disrupt their opponents’ rest.
The incident took place around midnight in the Santa Fe neighborhood of Mexico City, where the Ecuadorian delegation is staying. What began as a gathering of “El Tri” fans ended up turning into a noisy “serenade” that caught the attention of both the authorities and the members of “La Tri” themselves.
Megaphones, buckets, and horns to cheer on El Tri
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The fans came prepared with various items to make as much noise as possible.
Megaphones, buckets, water jugs, cymbals, and other items were used to sing, jump, and chant slogans directed at the Ecuadorian national team.
Adding to this atmosphere was the traffic in the area, with motorcycles speeding by and cars honking their horns, increasing the noise level around the hotel.
The goal was clear:
To try to make things difficult for the Ecuadorian players the night before they faced Mexico in one of the tournament’s most important matches (Filed under: Mexico vs. Ecuador—a serenade for the opponent).
Ecuador asked the authorities for help
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According to available information, the Ecuadorian delegation requested police intervention because of the commotion that was preventing several soccer players from getting some rest.
The situation became even more complicated because, according to the report, there were no rooms available to move the team to another area of the hotel.
Minutes later, a contingent of police officers equipped with riot gear arrived to bring the situation under control and prevent the incident from escalating.
The officers ended up securing the area and managing traffic flow while the fans continued to cheer on the Mexican national team (Filed under: Mexico vs. Ecuador—a serenade for the opponent).
The scene occurred near midnight
NuevaOnda.com
The “12th man” answered the call
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The fans’ mobilization came after Mexican national team coach Javier Aguirre highlighted the importance of support from the so-called “12th man” during this World Cup.
Thousands of Mexican fans have supported El Tri throughout the tournament.
Especially in the matches played at Azteca Stadium, where Mexico finished the group stage with a perfect record.
Although this type of serenade is part of soccer folklore in various parts of Latin America, it also often sparks debate about the line between fan support and respect for visiting teams’ rest.
With the atmosphere already electric since the night before, the Mexico vs. Ecuador match promised to get off to a lively start long before the opening whistle (Filed under: Mexico vs. Ecuador—a serenade to the opponent).
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